Caramel Pecan Skillet Brownie

Caramel in the bottom of the pan melds with the brownie, creating a dessert so rich and gooey that you need a spoon to serve it. Because cast iron holds heat, the brownie will still be warm when you go back for seconds.

Ginger-Cinnamon Apple Crisp

"This is a twist on a popular dish and is one of my personal favorites," says April Osburn from the Clabber Girl Bake Shop in Terre Haute, Indiana. Thinly slice the apples so they soften in the allotted baking time.

Never-Fail Rice Pudding

The recipe for this warm, comforting dessert, one of the winners in a Midwest Living® recipe contest, comes from a Brookfield, Missouri, reader. Serve with raisins, dried cherries or dried cranberries for extra flavor and color.

Apple-Butter Cakelets

Caramel sauce adds a creamy-sweet finish to individual Apple-Butter Cakelets created by Midwest Living® in honor of Illinois' Amish bakers. You can choose between two Prairie State ingredients, apples or pumpkins, for this treat.

Blackberry Clafouti

Cherries usually dot this French country dessert, but we opted for plump blackberries and a wisp of orange liqueur. Baked in a large skillet or a group of minis, the simple, eggy batter yields a texture between cake and custard.

Cranberry-Pecan Tarts

These tiny tarts mix cranberries and orange peel into a delightful pecan tassie recipe. Butter and cream cheese make the crust rich in this state fair blue-ribbon recipe from Sheila Bethia of West Allis, Wisconsin.

Rise and Shine Cranberry-Apple Crisp

Maple Syrup Cake

Ruth Smiley of Parke County, Indiana, gave us her recipe for Maple Syrup Cake, which she makes in a fluted tube pan. We mixed up an easy maple syrup icing to drizzle over the top. Ruth's family produces maple syrup on land that's been in the family for five generations.

Single-Serving Caramel Apples

Joan Wagner of Overland Park, Kansas, considers this baked apple dish her easy-entertaining recipe. "You can make these up to six hours ahead and cover them with plastic wrap, so the puff pastry doesn't dry out," she says. "The desserts bake while your coffee is brewing."